What I am aiming for with this post is not to bad mouth products or brands, but work through some products that are highly promoted but I personally don’t find they are either worth it, or that they worked well for me.

Benefit Ooh La Lift 

Price: $26

Description: “A dream cream for the under-eye area, it is a wonder eye cream that works like an instant eye lift”

I picked this up a few years ago, and tried to make it work. I found it did more bad than good to my under eye circles, and didn’t brighten anything at all. It made the blue undertones more apparent and difficult to conceal.

Alternative Product: Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer

Price: $11.99

Mac Prep & Prime Highlighter: Rose

Price: $31

Description: A pen-style highlighter that efficiently brings a soft sheer wash of colour to the skin. With its precision application, adds radiance just where you want it. Goes on smoothly for cushion-soft wear. Use over makeup for highlights, touch-ups or under makeup to brighten and prime.

After receiving countless props on the beauty sites I frequent I picked this up hoping it would solve my issue with the Ooh La Lift. (This is the kind of reasoning I have.. the expensive product didn’t work, let me try this identical more expensive product) FALSE. Same issue, but this one was a bit thinner so I ended up with crepe paper under eyes with extra blue undertones.

Alternative Product: Maybelline Fit me Concealer

Price: $11.99

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit

Price: $52

Description: This contouring collectible contains six blendable formulas to sculpt and define features. Darker shades are ideal for shading and defining, while lighter shades sculpt and enhance features. Removable and refillable, the set contains all the colour needed to start expertly emphasizing eyes, cheekbones, nose, and jawline.

We all know how I feel about this palette. I don’t hate it, I don’t love it. I don’t think it was worth it because the Banana colour (the reason I bought it) doesn’t work for me. I don’t find it sets anything, just ends up with lots of creasing under my eyes. Also a regular consumer can pick up a bronzer and a highlighter that would be cheaper to pick up separately. See my comparison here.

Alternative Product: Kat Von D Shade Light Contour Kit

Price: $55

Mac Eyeshadows

Price :$19 (Pan only $12)

Description: Highly pigmented powder. Applies evenly, blends well.

I can’t honestly say I don’t like this product, however for the price I no longer believe they are worth it, and I haven’t purchased a mac shadow in a very long time. There are shadows at the drugstore and online that are as good if not better quality and are less than half the price.

Alternative Product: Make up Geek Shadows

Price $5.99

 Sephora Express Cleansing & Purifying Wipes

Price:$11

Description: These wipes cleanse, remove makeup, and purify in a single step. The formula includes salicylic acid to leave skin crystal clear without dryness or tightness. The wipes absorb excess sebum and mattify the skin for hours for a more refined appearance.

I picked this up on a whim when I didn’t want to make an additional trip to Shoppers when I was already in Sephora. They were terrible. They were drying, and pulled on my skin, and the wipes felt rough on my skin. I didn’t feel they removed any makeup really, and I would have to completely rewash my face multiple times after use. I ended up throwing them out and buying my regular Neutrogena ones a few days later.

Alternative Product: Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

Price: $11.99

 Glamglow Mud Masks

Price: $72

Description: This formula was clinically developed by GLAMGLOW® dermatological chemists to help fight all common skin concerns including breakouts, discoloration, black and white heads, razor bumps, and in-grown hair. Powerful, skin-clearing mud visibly draws out dirt and congestion while a proprietary six-acid blend dramatically brightens and softens skin. It works to magnetically draw out dirt and pores with Activated-X Charcoal, leaving skin smooth and healthy-looking.

I have tried the white and the black container clay masks. I don’t find either of them did much of anything. I don’t even have anything to say about them. Other than a fun girls night were everyone has weird stuff on their face, I wouldn’t honestly say this does anything to write home to mother about.

Alternative Product: Lots of DIY products such as this one

Tweezerman Ultra Precision Slant Tweezers

Price: $44

Description: Grab every hair, every time with this stunning gold tweezer coated in titanium nitrate for increased corrosion resistance, precision, and long-lasting sharp tips. This ultra thin and finely filed tool is perfectly aligned for smooth pulling and the 25-degree slant is the ideal angle for working against the browbone. Flip this tool over and use the pointed end to tackle stubble and fine hairs.

These are good tweezers don’t get me wrong, but they aren’t $44 dollars good. They still miss some hairs and aren’t as precise as some others I have tried, even other tweezerman products have been better than these. 

Alternative Product: Anastasia Beverly Hills Tweezers

Price: $36

Smashbox Contour Sticks

Price:$52

Description: These hot contouring products have always been a best-kept secret of those in the know. Now Smashbox has made it easy to put your best face forward with three shades that mimic perfect lighting: Contour sculpts by creating shadows, Highlight mimics light reflection to pull features forward, and Bronze provides a smooth transition that eliminates the look of harsh lines. The result is flawlessly shaped features from defined-looking cheekbones to a seemingly perfected nose to the appearance of a sculpted jawline. The kit also includes a how-to insert with simple instructions for achieving the best look for your face shape. This set is exclusively available at Sephora.

These just…No. It felt like I was drawing on my face with a sharpie. I loved the texture, but they just wouldn’t blend out for me, and I ended up with streaky lines all over the place.

Alternative Product: Whatever foundation you use in 3-5 shades darker than you already use. 

Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Perfecting Primer

Price: $44

Description: Go beyond extending makeup wear to address the root cause of why your makeup moves. This formula specifically targets oil-prone areas and acts as liquid blotting paper to leave your skin fresh and matte all day. Use alone, before, or after foundation to control excess oil, while minimizing the appearance of pores. Feel free to use throughout the day to touch up areas of concern.

This primer seems to dry before I even get it on my face, it pulls my skin and doesn’t help my foundation stay at all.  I also find I end up with a strange white sheen over my face. For the price it is definitely not worth it.

Alternative Product: Maybelline Master Prime Blur and Smooth

Price $11.99

 L’oreal Miracle Blur

Price $24.99

Description: This instant skin smoother instantly blurs the look of wrinkles, lines and pores. It is a targeted treatment that can be worn alone or with makeup to blur away flaws and leave skin smooth and even. Our most targeted Blur treatment

This product was so thick on my skin, I ended up with the worst cake face I have ever had. I only used it twice, I couldn’t keep it up it was destroying my skin. It was okay to smooth out imperfections if I was going with no make up for the day. I am kind of an all or nothing girl so no make up days truly mean no makeup.

Alternative Product: I don’t honestly have one, I don’t like this type of product so I don’t have anything in my collection that is similar.